Next Linear Obsessional Live event on Sunday 8th January at The ArtsCafe with Ticklish (Rob Flint, Phil Durrant, Kev Hopper, Richard Sanderson), Kamura Obscura, Aaron Horlock, William English and Adam Bohman. Details to follow soon....

Linear ObsessionalA label for Experimental and Improvised Music

Linear Obsessional is a label for limited edition CDs and records, and for unlimited free/name-your-price digital recordings of experimental and improvised music, and other sounds that fall between the cracks of category and genre.

Most of the music is published under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. This means that the music is free to download, and that you are welcome (indeed encouraged) to share it, remix, and use it how you wish, as long as full credit is given to the creators. There are a few exceptions, where the artist has specified a different licence (please check!), and the occasional "physical only" release.

Linear Obsessional is put together by Richard Sanderson, an improvising musician based in South London. There's an article in The Quietus about the label here, there's a long interview with Richard, talking about Linear Obsessional Recordings here. or a long audio interview with him on this podcast.

"My brain was subtly melted by the variety and quality of the releases in the label’s catalogue. Free improvisation, quirky electronics, forgotten post-punk gems and a concept album about mushrooms, all available from a single site"-Paul Margree, We Need No Swords

"It’s one of the hallmarks of Richard Sanderson’s label that he makes the physical versions of his releases into desirable, or at least interesting, limited art objects."-Ed Pinsent, The Sound Projector

"Linear Obsessional obsessively collects the overlooked, the obscure and the worthy, giving them another shot at discovery."-Richard Allen, A Closer Listen

"Linear Obsessional has a large catalogue of idiosyncratic creations, a gallery of the bizarre that deserves a deep dive; a singular label releasing regularly amazing music...a distinguished warehouse of brilliant avant-weirdness"-Michael Holland, Ears For Eyes

Latest Releases

LOR084 - Kamura Obscura​-Speleology: Kamura Obscura Live

For her first album for Linear Obsessional, the Japanese vocalist and electronics player, and former member of Frank Chickens presents a collection of extraordinary tracks all recorded live. From freaky and extraordinary voice modulated improvisations to oddly affecting eco-surrealist chansons, this is a wonderful introduction to the witty and bizarre world of this singular artist.

​Available as a professionally duplicated compact disc in a wraparound full-colour sleeve (cover image by Zoe Plumb) in a flexible plastic case, and as a free/name-your-price download with PDF booklet.

LOR089 - Dirch Blewn​-Axis

For his second album for Linear Obsessional, Dirch Blewn (AKA South London electronicist David Bloor) produces one of the strangest and most arcane and compelling albums we've released. With several tracks recorded whilst camping in the countryside, featuring resonating gongs, cymbals and road signs, his own instruments and ample interventions from surrounding wildlife.

Despite the detailed notes about the tracks in the accompanying PDF booklet, the impression remains of eavesdropping on some abstruse and esoteric ritual. Minimalist and haunting.

Released as a limited edition proffesionally duplicated CD and as a free/name your price download with 23 page PDF booklet.

Recent Releases

LOR088 - Project Mycelium​-Pyramiden

The second EP by this adventurous and recondite duo from Hackney, London is also their first physical release. "Pyramiden" is a series of short, severe textural pieces created entirely with the sounds of water and steel (and in a way is almost unintentional follow up to The Black Path).Enveloping and fascinating it deserves be heard, loud, through proper speakers.

Released as a professionally pressed CD in a transparent square clam-shell case with rounded corners and window. At a very reasonable budget price, and as a free/name your price download with PDF booklet of notes and images.

LOR087 - Various Artists​​-The Black Path

The Black Path is an ancient route. It has been many things: the northern boundary of an Anglian Kingdom, a medieval sailor’s trod, and a convenient path to work for the steelworkers of Middlesbrough.The Black Path Project commenced in early 2015 as collaboration between Chris Whitehead and Gavin Parry, they soon realised that a number of other artists in the area had also created work based around the path. They then set about contacting artists and asking them if they would be willing to join the project with a goal of producing an exhibition. Once assembled, the group approached the House of Blah Blah, who were very enthusiastic about the project and agreed to work with the group.The goal of the project was to present a contemporary response to the Black Path, at the time no one could have predicted what events unfold over the following months in terms of the collapse of the steel industry. This project now has an added poignancy; it has accidentally captured the end of an era.

Available as a limited edition CD and free/name your price download with detailed PDF booklet

Next Releases

LOR083 - Far Rainbow-Somewhere Out There Was The Wave

Far Rainbow is the duo of Emily Mary Barnett (percussion) and Robert Barry (electronics) who create vast neo-psychedelic slabs of gradually developing sound. "Somewhere Out There Was The Wave" is their first CD release (following an acclaimed series of cassettes on Zero Wave) and perhaps their darkest and purest release so far- a single expanding piece created from murky drones and loops and ominous percussion, the work has enormous dynamic control that sustains interest for its full duration.

To be released as a compact disc in a full colour sleeve featuring Emily Mary Barnett's photography and inserts created by the duo. Also as a free/name-your-price download with PDF booklet.

For their second CD the trio of Mark Browne (collected objects and saxophones), Daniel Thompson (acoustic guitar) and Richard Sanderson (melodeon and small instruments) continue their exploration of a particularly arcane form of free improvisation, creating music that varies from ritual-like percussive sound environments to microscopically intense interplay. Returning to the glorious acoustics of the Girl Guide hut in Aylesbury which produced their much praised first album, the trio dig deeper into their own utterly unique soundworld to create a music which is fascinating, recondite and very human.

To be released as a compact disc packaged in haunting pin-hole photographs by Richard Sanderson and as a free/name-your-price download with notes by Mark Browne and photos. Available soon.